


Nocturnal Habits

by SolarMobilizer



Category: Original Work
Genre: Badly Written Fights, Developing Friendships, Elemental Magic, Fantastic Racism, Fantasy, Flashbacks, Male-Female Friendship, Mentors, Multi, Murder Mystery, POV Alternating, Victorian
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-11
Updated: 2020-10-11
Packaged: 2021-03-08 02:42:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,387
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26948410
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SolarMobilizer/pseuds/SolarMobilizer
Summary: She had been pushed into a pool as a joke and when she had resurfaced, she had appeared into a fantastic city with no day or sun, just darkness and strange looking people. Molly doesn't know what is going on but she knows she must return home no matter the cost...





	1. The arrangement

**Author's Note:**

> English is not my native language, so expect many grammatical errors. 
> 
> PS: I'm rewriting this as I decided to change some plot points and in-universe terms.

_ Night 12 of Autumn, 11:34 _

Is not that Loa Saaga dislikes Artemy Drest, she grew up with him after all, but she also does not want to marry him and spend the rest of her life tied to him and forced to give the Drest bloodline babies to further the dynasty of the noble house of Drest.

“Is not that bad” says Farrow from where he sits in front of her in their carriage “You’re overreacting”

“Easy for you to say” grumbles Loa “You are not being bartered off for your baby making capabilities”

“Loa” Admonishes their mother, Lafie Saaga “You’re lucky your father is not here”

Yes, very lucky their father was already at the Drest estate talking to her future family and not sharing their carriage, where he would be arguing with Loa about how she should behave with her future husband and family.

“Mother” says Loa, using the same tone she had used “Is not like I’m lying”

“Drest is not that bad of a guy” says Farrow, trying to change the topic “You know him better, Loa, but I’ve never heard anything bad about him”

Loa rolls her eyes. Not a lie, Artemy was lazy when it came to responsibilities and preferred to spend his time walking around Nox doing nothing, that was what he did when they were younger, he spend more time outside that inside the Drest estate, wandering around, no matter the weather, followed by his cousin Hilde and that terrifying Caith he never told anyone where he found.

“This union will bring great honor to our family, Loa” says mother “Please remember that”

“I’m to be the next Augur” Says Loa with narrowed eyes “How much more honor do you want, mother?”

Farrow guffaws and tries to hide his laughter, but their mother glares at both of them before scoffing and deciding to just look out the carriage window and completely ignore both of them. 

It doesn’t take long to arrive to the Drest estate, the dreary house almost camouflages in the darkness of the night, it was the only house, apart from the Soothsayer’s house, that used black wood, the rest of the town preferring white painted woods or equally clear colors. The doors to the house where open, warm light flooding the steps to the entrance and part of the street, there, Varefor Saaga waited patiently with Zeno Drest himself.

Loa fidgets with her forest green dress for a second and breathes in and out. She needs to relax, Zeno Drest is a force of nature and disdain, she had received once one of his special glares, usually reserved for Artemy, in her youth and she has never forgotten how bad she felt during it and afterwards. She’s an adult now, she can deal with this. 

The carriage door opens and Farrow gets out first, helping out their mother and Loa after, like a polite heir is supposed to act like. Loa bows and raises the ends of her dress as the same time as her mother.

“Our guest of honor has arrived” chuckles Zeno and Loa almost shows her disbelief before controlling her face. She has never heard Zeno Drest chuckle and much less received a smile from him. 

“I’m honored, Lord Drest” Says Loa keeping her eyes on the cobblestone under her shoes “I can only hope to reach your expectations”

“Let’s go inside” says Varefor before Loa has the opportunity to say the wrong thing “Your son is already waiting, is he not?”

“Indeed” nods Zeno “My brother will also join us”

Loa can feel her lip raise in disgust but manages to not show much of her disappointment. Mikhe Drest is not someone she even wanted to see up close, the younger brother of Zeno Drest, Mikhe was known around town for being a drunk and disrespectful man, spending most of the time at the Golden Maid pub in the Mud District and harassing any young lady that passes his way. 

“Of course, my lord” says Lafie Saaga with a strained smile “Let’s us enjoy this nice night”

The Drest estate is as dark outside as it’s inside, most of the colors being black or dark tones of other colors, it makes the stark white hair characteristic of the Drests even more noticeable.

The living room is spacious and a dark green, with two velvety sofas and a fireplace currently lit, a small coffee table rest between the sofas, a tray with a teacups and a kettle occupying it, along with delicious looking pastries. In one couch sits Artemy, legs spread carelessly like he is sitting on a throne, dressed impeccably in a white shirt and a dark teal waistcoat, short white hair slicked away from his face, he is frowning at the fireplace, mind far away from his own living room. In the other sofa sits Mikhe Drest, significantly more dressed down in just a wrinkled white shirt and black pants, with his shoulder length hair not styled in any way. He was clearly a last addition to their playdate.

“Artemy, our guests have arrived, sit appropriately!” Nags Zeno making Artemy flinch in surprise, he closes his legs and sits in a corner of the sofa instead of the middle of it

Loa sits next to Artemy, leaving enough space between them to allow another person to sit, but with a discreet glare from her mother, Loa sits closer, clearing her throat as she does. Next to her sits her mother and Farrow, her father and Zeno occupying the sofa in front, sitting next to Mikhe.

“I’m afraid Pherenike won’t be able to join us” laments Zeno as he starts to serve the tea. Thebana, a good choice to relax the tense atmosphere and guests. “Apollodora has been slightly sick, my wife has been taking care of her”

“Oh dear” says Loa’s mother “Poor thing, I hope is nothing grave”

“Oh no, just a cold” Says Zeno “But it brought some fever with it”

Lafie nods with understanding and then her saddened demeanor turns happy.

“I’ve heard the good news, my lord, is it true young Apollodora is being considered as Nizhe to the Haruspex?” She says

Loa feels Artemy’s position change, he sits Straighter and seems to start to pay attention to the conversation taking place.

“Indeed! Only one of the Gernot twins was also considered, but I’ve seen Apollodora’s results in all of her tests, she clearly has better standing” says Zeno with a smile “but let’s not talk about Dora, I’m more interested in hearing about Lady Loa”

Loa takes a sip from her Thebana and almost chokes on it, Artemy’s body shakes slightly next to her and Loa just knows he is laughing at her.

“Erm...I’m doing fine, my lord, Vyshe Kyome is an excellent teacher” says Loa with a blush when every eye is suddenly on her “I shall attend the next Vernisera with him to assist him during the proceedings”

“Ahh, wonderful, wonderful” says Zeno “Maybe afterwards the Saaga could join us in the Harvest feast”

“It would be an honor” says Loa with a bow of her head “It would help further closing the bond among both families”

After that, the conversation turns to inconsequential topics that help lower the tension, Loa can almost feel her body relax with each sentence that is spoken, she even laughs a little when her father speaks of his youth and Zeno’s. It’s all well, she can almost ignore Mikhe’s presence entirely by the time she has finished her tea.

“Artemy “ Says Zeno suddenly “Why don’t you show Lady Loa the garden while we speak of more serious matters?”

“Of course father” says Artemy, speaking for the first time in the whole meeting, as he gets up, he offers his hand to Loa, and even though she definitely doesn’t need it, she takes her. Everyone is watching, after all.

She knows what ‘more serious matters’ are. They’re going to speak of their marriage and how to proceed with it. Tonight, Loa knows, will seal her future. 

Artemy takes her through the house until they reach the beautiful garden at the back of the house, illuminated by the moon and the multiple glowing flowers that grace every part of the garden, the only movement in the garden only illuminated by the moonlight is a couple of glowing golden eyes fixated in Loa, not blinking, hiding a bigger form in the bushes, Loa is unable to remember the name, but she knows it’s Artemy’s Caith, a beast of terrible temper only nice to its owner. They stayed quiet for a minute or two before Artemy decided to open his mouth and ruin everything.

“I must say” he says, looking down at Loa “you look very beautiful tonight”

“Cut the bullshit, Artemy” growls Loa with narrowed eyes “I’m not stupid”

“Why I would never, my lady” he says in a fake outraged tone “I would not lie to you about such a serious thing like your beauty”

“We always knew it was coming, that I know” says Loa ignoring Artemy “But we don’t have to lie to ourselves, I don’t want to marry you and you don’t want to marry me”

“I-“ starts Artemy with wide eyes, his normally light brown skin looked pale. 

“I know you don’t want to marry me, Artemy, as I said” Says Loa and then, she smirks at him “I’m not stupid, I have eyes, you know?”

With that, Artemy drops all pretenses of a polite gentleman and directly glares at her. It looks more intimidating than it feels to Loa, maybe it because Artemy is a head taller than her and has lightning at the tip of his fingers at every moment. But Loa is wood herself and has dealt with Artemy’s attitude problems before. He’s still the same brat as he was ten years ago.

“What do you want?” Asks Artemy in a stilted tone, still glaring at her coldly.

Loa doesn’t look down, stare not dropping from Artemy’s eyes, but she knows electricity is probably running along his fingers, reacting to his temper.

“Is someone else blackmailing you, Artemy?” Says Loa with a tilt to her head “You reacted like you have dealt with this before. Thankfully for you, I don’t want anything”

“Why bring it up then?” Asks Artemy with a raised eyebrow, confused but still angry.

“I wanted you to know the fact that I  _ know _ ” Says Loa with a smirk “Or at least suspected it before you reacted like that”

That brings out I chuckle from Artemy, eyes much lighter that the storm brewing before. Loa breathes out slightly in relief.

“You haven’t changed, Loa” he says “I thought time had turned you into a proper lady like Jeza, but there’s still the same trickster hidden under ladylike politeness”

“Of course” says Loa “And to answer your question, I brought it up for one reason; We have to marry but we don’t have to suffer through it, you were my friend, Artemy, I want to keep that bond”

“I won’t ever love you like I should” mutters Artemy with downcast eyes

“I won’t either” says Loa smiling sadly ignoring Artemy’s surprised look “I believe that’s a good reason to marry each other”

Artemy chuckles and crouches, raising a had and making a soft sound with his mouth, calling out his pet. The Caith waits for a second before trotting up to Artemy, it’s furry black face at the same height as Artemy’s, fluffy ears turned towards Loa even when it’s eyes never left Artemy’s. 

“We’ll see” says Artemy with a smirk as he pets the caith, that purrs loudly under his touch “Our wedding will probably be in a month, let’s see if you can keep that positive attitude after you have seen what my mother has planned”

“You underestimate me” singsongs Loa “I’ve dealt with  _ much _ worse”


	2. The Newcomer

_ Night 12 of Autumn, 20:23 _

Their most recent Nomad screams in an unknown language and fights whoever gets to close to her.

Jeza stays a few feet away, watching as other Nocturnals try to calm her with soothing words, Captain Ulrik speaks in a low voice to Nim-Vyshe Ardashir, With little Enma close behind, holding the hand of Vyshe Kyome.

“I don’t speak that” scoffs Vyshe Ardashir the moment he hears the girl scream in her strange tongue.

“You recognize the language then?” Says Captain Ulrik in relief

“It’s Shujama Sipho’s tongue, but as I said, I don’t speak it” continues Vyshe Ardashir, his arms crossed and mask pointing away from the conversation, watching the scared Nomad.

“Where is he?” Asks Captain Ulrik to a Nocturnal carrying a book

“We sent a dove, but Danay” says the Nocturnal as he points to another Nocturnal “Says he was working late”

“No other Nomad?” Asks Captain Ulrik, even though his face has not changed from his usual neutral look, Jeza can hear the panic in his voice “No even a descendant?”

This last question is asked to the other two Nomads close by, both Enma Kyome and Vyshe Ardashir shake their head, the little girl mostly confused, scratching at her eyes with tiredness, is too late for a girl of just six to be awake.

“Vyshe Ardashir” pleads Captain Ulrik “Are you sure you cannot speak nothing of this language?”

“No” says Vyshe Ardashir and tilts his head slightly, frowning at the sight of the Nomad panicking “But I might know a word or two”

Relief takes over Captain Ulrik’s face and bows his head gracefully, he guides the Aythni to where Nocturnals are being thrown rocks from the river bed where the Nomad Girl had ended up in. The Captain shouts at the Nocturnals to get back and stays behind as Vyshe Ardashir walks confidently to where the girl Nomad is, dodging a rock as he does so.

He stays a couple feet away from where the girl is sitting and crouches down, extending a hand as he does so, and says something to the girl in the same language she had been screaming in.

The girl immediately drops the rock she is holding and her face, that had been full of fear and panic, floods with the most raw happiness Jeza had ever seen in a person. It’s this how Nim-Vyshe Ardashir felt when Kave Ardashir spoke to him when he arrived? 

The girl starts to spout a rapid blabber of nonsense, but Vyshe Ardashir stops her raising his hand slightly and then shaking his head, making the girl frown in confusion.

“We have to take her to the Night Hall, Vyshe Ardashir” reminds quietly Captain Ulrik, making the girl’s eyes dart to him

“Enma” calls Vyshe Ardashir instead, making the little girl look up at her guardian, when Vyshe Kyome nods, the little Nomad skips to Vyshe Ardashir, ignoring the tense atmosphere and the fact that she is wearing her sleeping robes, she slides down to the river bed and stands next to Vyshe Ardashir. He whispers something to her, making Enma giggle and their Newcomer dart her eyes between them in confusion.

Then, Enma proceeds to speak in the delicate sounding language she had spoken when she appeared and that they were lucky Vyshe Kyome’s father also spoke. The Newcomer eyes’ widen and mutters something in her language bemusedly, and from where Jeza stands it looks like they are trying to make introductions, it’s a good plan, make her relax and trust them enough to proceed with the Nomad Trial and give the girl a warm bath and something to eat.

Vyshe Ardashir repeats the word he had said before and then says something else before getting up from his crouch and offering his hand to the newcomer, the girl fidgets for a second and Vyshe Ardashir says something to Enma, making her extend her hand instead. Their newcomer takes the little girl hand and Enma leads her back to the street where Captain Ulrik waits with a carriage ready to take the newcomer to the Night Hall.

The newcomer is looking around at everyone with fear in her eyes.

“Zasya!” Calls The Captain “Go with Vyshe Ardashir and the Nomad”

Jeza bows her head and takes off her helmet as Enma drops the girl hand and rushes back to her guardian, that pats her head softly. The girl looks panicked for a second but Vyshe Ardashir for the third time, repeats the word and opens the carriage door for her. 

The moment Jeza sits in the carriage and closes the door, Vyshe Ardashir lowers his hood and takes off his mask, making the girl look at Jeza with confusion when she lowers her head and eyes, to avoid looking at him.

“By Ayth, Nima!” Shouts Jeza “I mean, Vyshe Ardashir! Please, cover yourself again”

“I won’t, Jeza” he says “Look out the window if you want, I want her to feel comfortable”

Jeza groans from her seat next to Vyshe Ardashir, deciding to look at the newcomer instead.

“Did your father do the same?” She asks in a whisper

“He did” Answers Vyshe Ardashir “He was worse, actually, did it when he found me, I thought him a...monster before he took off the Vorona”

“You were eleven” scoffs Jeza “It’s understandable, she is older, at least eighteen”

“The Trial will be...quite the hassle” says Vyshe Ardashir and Jeza cannot help but snort

“That’s a nice way of putting it” she says as she looks at the girl, the newcomer is looking at Jeza with something akin to wonder “What is she looking at?”

“Blue hair and Noxan eyes are not a thing that naturally happens Outside, Jeza” says Vyshe Ardashir “She is merely curious”

“Mask yourself, Vyshe Ardashir” says Jeza as she looks out of the carriage window “We have arrived”

——-•——

Molly Quentin feels lost and afraid as she follows the strangers down a strange hallway in a strange town where everyone speaks a strange language.

Well, the guy in the red plague doctor costume had spoken exactly three words in broken english while the little girl had spoken in what Molly clearly recognized as japanese. She also thought they had introduced themselves, the little girl was Emma or something similar and the guy had said Neema a lot while pointing to himself. 

She had not seen his face until they had gotten on the medieval looking carriage pulled by two horses, when he had taken off the bird mask, Molly was surprised by how young he looked, early twenties at most and thankfully, his eyes where normal, not like the girl’s. She had spend most of the trip looking at the blue haired young woman that had ridden with them and had nervously looked away when Neema had taken off his mask. 

She replayed the words he had spoken to her as she remembered what had happened before she appeared floating in a river she had not been swimming in.

“Peace” he had said that one a lot and “No harm” just once, all in a very accented english, and Molly wondered why only one of them spoke it at all while the rest stared at her like she was speaking in latin.

But Molly still had no answers to where she was or what had happened, she had been pushed into the deep end of a pool and had resurfaced to a river in the middle of the night in a strange place full of stranger people. And that made zero sense.

They arrive to some kind of official looking building and Neema masks himself again, the blue haired woman looks comfortable enough to look at him again. They guide her through white marble hallways with golden decorations, it reminds Molly of a church, an old one, that loved to put gold everywhere. It was both beautiful and ostentatious. 

She felt incredibly lost as they walked, every hallway looked the same but her guides seemed to know where they were going. 

They stopped in front of a set of wooden doors full of scribbles and drawings, the scribbles were mostly spirals and runic-like symbols and Molly wondered if it was the written form of the language they all spoke. The doors were pushed by the girl and Neema followed suit, Molly the last one to enter the room.

It was a circular room full of people sitting in stands of some kind and in the middle of the room, just under the dome-like ceiling, stood a very high table where a man sat. It felt like Molly was on trial for something, more so when the room erupted into chaos the moment she entered the room.

The man on the high table started speaking, making everyone shut up. Neema left her side and joined two other plague doctors in one of the lower stands, there were different colors than Neema, a black one, tall and slim, and a blue one that was the shortest of the three.

The man in the high table continued speaking, sometimes she pointed at Molly, that had been pushed by the blue haired girl to stand right under the table, it truly felt like she was being judged. The man quieted himself when the doors behind Molly opened and another plague doctor appeared, this one in white and slightly familiar, had they been also at the river she had appeared at? The white plague doctor joined the others after bowing at the waist at the man in the high table, then, the man continued to speak. 

Since she could not understand a word, Molly looked around the people, it was full of strange people withe even stranger looks. There were more people with blue hair like the girl behind Molly, some had white hair, but didn’t look like albinism to Molly, they’re skin too dark for that to be the case, there was some people with unnatural yellow hair or even some of them purple; All the eyes she met were the same, the creepy and unnatural complete inky darkness, no white, no iris and no pupil, just blackness.

It was all very strange, she was so occupied studying everyone that she almost missed the silence that had overtaken the room. The man had stopped talking and seemed to be waiting for something, maybe she was supposed to talk? Molly opened her mouth to say something, anything would do, when the girl behind her exclaimed something, making everyone in the room gasp out loud.

The girl appeared next to Molly and put a hand on her shoulder while still speaking up. The man in the high table was listening closely and Neema had cocked his head to the side.

What had just happened?


	3. Bad decisions

Night 13 of Autumn, 7:30

Breathe, thinks Jeza to herself, do not scream at your own mother, breathe, a proper lady do not scream at her own mother, she is no longer a child, breathe.

“Are you even listening, Jeza?” Asks her mother, terrifying Chrysas Zasya, as her father, Knoll Zasya, ignores them both in favor of reading the Newspaper.

“I am, Mother“ answers Jeza in an automated response she perfected when she was ten, now, at 24, she can still do it like she truly cares.

“Then you must understand the stupidity you just committed and forever stained in the Zasya Bloodline!” Screeches Mother “A Nomad, Jeza, a Nomad! And you’re not even married yet!”

Breathe in, breathe out. Do not yell, a lady does not raise her voice. Jeza doesn’t really understand how her mother believes the words that come out of her mouth, Jeza has seen their family tree, a beautiful creation of metal and glass in the shape and size of a normal tree in the back garden, Jeza knows that every three generations every glass charm that represents each Zasya is replaced and a new tree is started. Every three generations, the noble families of Nox erase their past, you cannot sully something that doesn’t really exist.

“Mother, please understand, she is just a child, lost in a strange world where she doesn’t understand a word being spoken” says Jeza, it’s the same argument she had said to herself during the Trial. “I want her to be as comfortable as possible as she understands our world, and who better to show her the ropes that a Nocturnal and a noble?”

“I understand your need to serve Nox, Jeza” says Mother, voice close to a yell, but not there yet, she is trying to calm herself. “I forgave when you enlisted as Nocturnal without our knowledge, but this, this!”

Mother quiets and hyperventilates as Father simply turns a page in the paper, eyes not raising at his wife’s panicked state.

“Knoll!” Yells Mother “Say something!”

With a sigh, black eyes, just like Jeza’s and every Noxanborn, leave the newspaper and lock with Jeza, calm and neutral in the whole affair. Jeza knows her father had not been heir during his youth, it was not until her uncle had died as a boy that he was suddenly brought into the difficult life of the heir, if there’s someone that understands Jeza’s struggles as heir is definitely her father. He was always calm, almost never smiled and somehow could calm his wife in the most dire situations, but only when he wished to intervene.

“Chrysas” he says in a deadpan tone of voice “Jeza knows what she’s doing”

It was the same thing he had said when Jeza had appeared with the trainee uniform of the Nocturnals, as her mother, like now, screamed at her like she had murdered an Aythni in the middle of the Aythra while the whole congregation of Echelons was present. 

“Knoll!” Yells Mother In outrage 

“It’s just like that time she befriended the Drest and Aud heirs” reminds Father “You were angry then, too. And now you enjoy Lady Drest and Lady Aud’s friendship”

“B-but!” Starts Mother

“And Jeza’s status as a Nocturnal has also brought favors from the Ulriks and by result, the Gernots” continues Father like Mother hadn’t spoken up “And as result, interactions with Aythni that bring more honor to our family. Really, wife, you should trust our heir more in these matters”

“But a Nomad brings no honor!” Yells Mother

“I’m sure Vyshe Ardashir agrees with you” says Father and Jeza flinches in sympathy with her mother “Or maybe, Enma Kyome prefers to discuss the matter with you instead”

There’s a minute of silence in the Zasya household’s living room as Chrysas Zasya lowers her eyes to her lap in embarrassment and Knoll Zasya returns to his newspaper. Jeza understands her mother’s embarrassment, after all, no one in Nox would ever doubt the word of the Haruspex himself, and no one either wanted to insult Enma Kyome the Elder to his face, the man that fathered Vyshe Kyome was a one that imposed fear and respect into anyone that dared to insult his blood, at least, if it was done in his presence. 

“Now, Jeza” says her Father calmly As he reads, making Jeza flinch even harder than before as she looks at her father “Introduces us to our granddaughter”

“Knoll!” yells Mother, her whole face blushing, making her Blue lipstick look ridiculously bright against her face, eyes glittering with unshed tears, seemly ignoring what had just gone down “Don’t say such things! I feel old when you do!”

“Yes, father” sighs Jeza as she gets up from the sofa she had been trapped in since her Mother decided to start her tirade on staining the Bloodline.

She walks towards the bedroom they had chosen for their Nomad as slowly as she can, she feels awkward about it all, and while she regrets her sudden decision slightly, she just thinks about a young and fearful Nim-Vyshe Ardashir, that glared at anyone that wasn’t his guardian or the only friend he made the following week of his arrival, of how scared must be the Nomad behind the door,-Luma she had chosen as a name, Light and Outside in the Old tongue-trapped in a strange world with an unknown language and customs.

Jeza wanted to help, keep her safe and warm, with enough food to keep her belly full during the winter, with tutors to teach her everything she needed to know and then influence whoever was needed to get her a job she liked. 

She knocks on the door and breathes in and then out, prepares a wide smile and opens slowly the door, there looking through the window to the view of the gardens glowing under the moonlight, stands Luma, a confused look to her face, that turns into a small smile as she looks at Jeza. She starts to speak in her language and then stops with a frown. 

Jeza approaches her as gently as she is able, taking both of her hands and letting all her honesty and happiness of Luma being there shine through her eyes.

“Luma, my parents, your now grandparents, wish to meet you” Says Jeza with a smile “Then, a Nomad that speaks your language will come to start teaching you Noxan, it’s known that the language comes easily when it’s taught”

Luma was still wearing the nightgown Jeza had chosen for her, one of her old ones waiting for Cira to grow up more, but Jeza knew her parents, or at least her father, would not care she was still wearing what she had slept in as long as it was done inside the house, so Jeza let one hand go, but took a better hold of the one still in her grasp and started to walk towards the door. Luma clumsily followed at first before she realized Jeza wanted to take her somewhere and then her step turned more confident. 

Slowly, they walked to the living room and Jeza tried to make introductions.

——-•——-

The house they had taken her to was a very beautiful thing, enormous too. With a very spacious bedroom and a bed able to house a small family at the same time. Jeza had given Molly a very pretty white dress that reached her ankles and was the most comfortable thing Molly had ever put on, it was later than she realized it was a nightgown, a very expensive one by the look of it.

She had slept as well as one could in a strange bed inside a strange house, surrounded by strangers she couldn’t even understand.

When she had woken up, she had expected the sunbeams shining through the bedroom window, and when she didn’t, Molly worried she had slept for an entire day. Then, Jeza had appeared and dragged away to another room in the house where a middle aged man and woman sat in a fancy couch.

Jeza was saying something and the creepy eyes of the couple were assessing Molly like they were thinking of buying her and she was a very stupid looking puppy. The woman had the strangest hair, and that was saying something considering the man and Jeza both had dark blue hair. Her hair was pink, a very dark pink, almost magenta. Molly blinks in surprise, do they have a fantastic way of dyeing hair in this weird victorian world? Or are those their actual hair colors? They already have strange demonic eyes, Molly is ready to believe anything.

“Hi?” Says Molly with a shy wave of her hand

The woman sputters something in the language everyone seems to speak while the man stares at her with a bored look before returning to his newspaper. 

Jeza speaks, pointing towards the couple and then towards Molly, it was clearly some form of introduction, but it was awfully awkward and Molly just wanted to go back to her room and sleep off this weird hallucination she kept having. She also wanted to ask how much she had slept, since the sun hadn’t come out yet and she didn’t feel like she had slept for an entire day. 

Molly just wanted to speak with someone who understood her, but she also wanted to understand the strange language everyone spoke. Maybe the guy in the plague doctor costume whose name she had already forgotten knew more english and maybe he had the answers Molly desperately seeked. 


End file.
